Death's Messenger
by Dark Raveth
Summary: Mild romance in later chapters, mostly mystery, Involving a man who can't catch a break and violence, lots of death, and elves. Updated.
1. Chapter 1

It had been early in my training when I had been sent to the town of Fallan. Recently the church felt corruption was on the rise, and with the rapid deaths of local government officials, it was my duty to not only investigate the source, but protect the current leader. The man's name had been Kuhn, he was a dark but not secluded man that loved to be in the public eye. Those he wasn't exactly a poster boy for purity, the head of my order believed him to be merely a front for a dark more sinister power. Unforutnately getting close to Kuhn would not be easy, he had achieved high official of the capital, and the only one who knew how to contact him was the half orc mayor of Neuvia. The man like to be refered to as Olnar the Fist, and his reputation went hand and hand with his name. The town he ruled was more of a thieves den than a reputable area, but I would have to travel in to the heart of darkness to strike at its source, so in to certain doom I travelled.

As I rode in to the town I didn't except it to look so...bright. I imagined a dingy rundowned area with filth covering the streets, but the area practically sparkled. The streets clean the houses well kept, the area looked to be prospering under Olnar's immediate watch. I didn't except this, and I don't like surprises. It was fairly simple to find lodgings as the talkest building in the city was a sancutary for travellers. Stables included I walked in to the inn after placing my mount in the care of a young stable hand with shaggish hair.

At the counter was a woman that practically expelled sunshine when I gazed upon her, bring yellow hair, copper eyes, and a soft velvet green dress that complimented her pale skin. She smiled brightly as I walked in, this place was not at all what I expected. I considered myself a handsom man, but I felt nervous to talk to the consultant. "Good Afternoon sir, will you be renting a room with us this evening?"

She asked it sweetly, making it easy to see why this inn was so popular and sucessful. "Yes, just one room please, I'll pay as I go." I anwsered with shaking confidence and layed a gold piece on the counter.

She looked at it and up at me as if confused. "Sir, 6 gold per night."

I blushed slightly, I'd never bought anything so expensive, and while I had the money I did except to be spending so much of it at one time, as paladins are not the highest payed soldiers of David. Still the hotel seemed safe enough in an area that I did not want to sleep in, so reluctantly I lay the rest of the gold on the counter, with 2 extra as a "tip" for the young lass. As I had embarrassed my self earlier, I didn't want her to think I was frugile. She smiled and thanked me handing me my key, I detected no taint of evil so I leaned a little closer on the counter. "I'm looking for a man name Olnar, he's the mayor of this town, do you know how I could ..."

She layed her palm right side up and I put another coin in to it. "Why no sir, I suggest you go to the town hall if your looking for our mayor." she pocketed my hard earned wage with no regret.

I sensed she knew something so I layed a few copper on the counter. She picked them up eagarly and coughed. "Lovely medellion, are you a man of the church?" she asked ignoring my funding.

"Yes, I'm a palidin for the church of David, now about Olnar.." I tried to prompt her agian.

She began to smile suspitiously and I with foolish hope expected her to once agian answer my question. "A Paladin! Aye Lailias we gots a Paladin staying with us. " she laughed at what appeared to be an inside joke and leaned in closer to me. "Olnar like to drink if you catch my drift, there's a bar about a block east from here, called a Dying Rooster, he spends every night in there bragging to anyone who will listen about how great he is." she leaned back and went back to writing me in to a guest book.

I took this as a sign that I was not going to recieve anymore imformation this day. Deciding to try my luck at the Dying Rooster, as it was almost night fall anyway as dinner was about to be served. With out unpacking my meager possessions I walked a block north and ran in to a tacky looking building. It had been painted bright green with red lining, and a giant rooster covered the sign that annonced the bar. "The Dying Rooster I presume." I nodded to myself and walked in to the chipped red door.

The inside was well lit with oil lamps and reflected well of the warm wooden interior. There was a bard in the corner playing a wood flute and a few conversations that were mostly drowned out by the overwhemlingly loud laughter of a half orc. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be to find the man as he was the tallest one in the room and wore polished silver platemail. A few women of the night talked to him and some picked his pockets but the orc was to drunk or to rich to care, perhaps both. With out an invitation I sat down at the table next to him inbetween a set of red hair woman who seemed eagar to see me. I slapped one's hand as it reached up my leg, as she was going for my gold purse. "Well met friend, have a drink and a woman there's plenty to go around." he laugh liquor drizzling out of his mouth and spittling almost on my good blue cloak as I inched back to avoid the shower.

"Perhaps I'll take you up on that." I laughed falsely, but the drunk didn't seem to notice, playing along and buying more drinks to the dismay of my wallet the man in front of me became more and more helpful. Two hours in to the conversation, and about 15 minutes after the drinking contest the mayor began to become worth keeping alive. "So tell me about this Kuhn fellow? "

"Kuhn's a jack ass, a stuck up necromancer that would be king of a swamp if he hadn't attacked the wrong person." The mayor slamed his mug on the table and burped loudly.

This was easily a surprise to me, as I had no idea that Kuhn had been anything more than a crooked politician, perhaps I wouldn't need to guard him after all. The surprise must have shown on my face, as the mayor look like he was enjoying telling me something I didn;t know. "Yeah, fool tryed to take control of a swamp town a while back, plan was working till Death decided they wanted to do a bit of dealing. An assasination by another name, Kuhn thought Death was just another thief, and became prosperous for it. Took the beating of a life time he's said, but afterwards, saids Death put him incharge of one of its territories, thats how I got me territory too. Not from Death those, no I ain't stupid enough to try to talk to that one, but Kuhn got me this deal, not bad eh. Follow directions, take some forced advice and I never need to do nothing but drink agian." The half orc was nearly passed out by the time he finished his story. It was curious and I was intrigured.

"Who is this death?" I asked the incoherent half orc to no avail, he was only speaking in gargles at this point.

Having got more imformation than I thought I would have I returned to my room to reflect.


	2. Chapter 2

After deep consideration for the story I had just heard, I headed along the cold, dark street towards my awaiting room in the inn. I had forgotten to pack, but that would have to wait until the morning, as the few drinks I managed to swollow down were starting to take effect. When I reached the inn, I was looking foward to seeing the shining face of Annabelle. Unforutnatly this didn't happen. Instead there was a lump of sleeping innkeeper leaning on the counter. This one was not annabelle, nearly an opposite to her. Where annabelle lite up a room, darkness aura'ed it self around her, nearly shadowing the lamps that lite the dim room. Black hair with red highlights were tusseled agianst the polished oak of the desk, and a ghostly white hand poked out from underneath her head. I walked over and rang the bell impolitely to wake her.

Instantly she jumped back and slammed agianst the wall behind her. Banging her head on a self, I felt find of guilty seeing for the first time the white blind fold that covered her eyes. The woman was blind. Very unusual looking as well, with tiny black freckles sprinkling her already white skin. She wore a dress similar to annabelles but not as well kept, it was wrinkled and covered in flour. "Maim, I'd like to have some dinner brought to my room." I ordered not really sure how she'd manage to do it but I recieved a nod and left.

Upon reaching my room, my head ache was pounding and everything seemed warm but dim. I sat down on the ground near the bed and tried to concentrate, praying to my god like I excepted him to anwser. Nearly falling asleep during my devotions a knock came at the door. I jumped up and grabbed my sword, but quickly sheathed it when I remembered I ordered food. Walking over to the door I opened it and saw the dark innkeeper from earlier standing there with a tray of mutton, ale and potatos. The smell made my stomach turn as the nights actions were keeping my appetite frome me. But to help stay off and hang over I should eat anyway. I took the tray and set it down on the dresser near the door. And thanked the young lady, who looked about 18 in front of me. She nodded politely and I was about to shut the door when there came a loud crash. In surprise I through open the door, and saw nothing. I walk a little ways up front, and saw crumpled on the floor the innkeeper, bleeding from her nose. I can only assume she feel down the stairs. In concern I walked down the stairs and lifted her head slightly. She moved, so she was a wake and sat up. She undid her blind fold and used it to dab her nose. I caught a glance of red, but she quickly leaned her head back to stop the flow of blood. I put my hand on her head and healed the broken nose. "I'm a palidin you should be okay now, just some mild pain. Anything else injured." Nervously she shook her head.

I began to get a strange vibe from this one, and casted detect evil, but only recieved the same taint that radiated from this entire city. I guess finding a saint in a city of thieves would be more difficult than imagined. I help the young woman back behind the counter, where she quickly retreated in to a storage room behind it and out of my sight. How ungreatful, not even a thank you. I shrugged and headed back to my room. I had enough troubles of my own with out worrying about the freaks that evil draws too it. Those she was lovely, like the moon to annabelles sun. But I didn't appreciate the attitude I got. I settled down on a chair near the desk in my room and started on to the dinner. I sipped the ale, and was half way through the mutton when I began to feel it. Sickness, nausea, the room started spinning out of control. I knocked the plate to the floor and stood up trying to clear away the dark feeling, only to give in to vertigo and fall to the floor. Then.. darkness.


End file.
